1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a safety device for use with stationary power tools. In particular, the invention is related to an apparatus that permits an operator to safely guide wood or similar soft materials past a rotating or an oscillating cutting element.
2. Description of Related Art
Operators of circular saws, shapers, band saws and similar stationary power tools must exercise caution when pushing a work piece towards a rotating or oscillating saw blade, a rotating shaper cutter, or a rotating sanding disk. All of these devices can be categorized as cutting element in that they remove an unwanted portion of the work piece. These cutting elements also have the undesirable potential to cause severe injury to the user if they contact a portion of the user's body, normally the hands, or if they cause the work piece to be ejected from the stationary power tool such that the work piece, or a portion thereof can strike the user. The work pieces can be ejected because some cutting elements apply a rotational or a translational force to the work piece.
Push sticks have been devised that contact the work piece and include a handle that allows the operator to guide the work piece past the cutting element while removing the user's hands from the cutting path of the cutting element. These push sticks also allow the user to apply a force to the work piece that tend to counteract the rotational and translational forces applied by the cutting element.
Push sticks are not always employed when operating stationary power tools for a variety of reasons. Push sticks are usually small devices that can easily be misplaced. They cannot be conveniently stored near the stationary power tools. Push sticks do not incorporate ergonomic designs that make them easy to use and effective in holding down and guiding a work piece. FIG. 1 shows a conventional push stick 10. The push stick 10 has a generally rectangular shape with a handle portion 12 and a hold down portion 14. The hold down portion 14 includes a notched region 15 that is used to engage the work piece. The notched region 15 provides for some downward and forward forces to be applied by the operator to the work piece. However, the notched region 15 cannot provide a sufficient downward force to hold down long or twisted work piece, or work pieces with knots. Furthermore, the push stick 10 can easily slip during cutting operations, or get in the way of other safety devices such as a saw blade guard. Finally, the push stick 10, while easy to store, may be easily lost among the clutter of a machinery shop. These shortcomings may tempt the operator to use his free hand to help guide the work piece through the cutting element, to dispense with the push stick 10 entirely, or to remove other safety features such as the saw blade guard.